Honors Theses
Advisor
Lauren Miutz, Ph.D.
Department
Department of Health and Sport Science
Publication Date
4-22-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
Introduction: Undergraduate students enrolled in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programs face rigorous academic demands that place them under immense stress. Chronic exposure to stress elevates cortisol, a key hormone known to disrupt endocrine function, including the reproductive system; such disruptions may contribute to menstrual irregularities. Among mediators that help the body return to homeostasis, physical activity (PA) is widely recognized as an effective tool for managing stress. Previous literature has documented the relationship between stress and reproductive health, however limited research has examined how PA may buffer stress related reproductive disruptions within the undergraduate STEM student population. This study seeks to examine the impact of PA as a mediator for mental stressors on the reproductive system of college-aged females in STEM programs.
Methods: Seven female (n = 5 recreationally active) STEM students from the University of Dayton were recruited. Participants attended three data collection sessions scheduled before, during and after midterms to capture changes across an acute period of academic stress. At each session, participants provided passive drool saliva samples for cortisol measurement and completed five questionnaires assessing general health, stress levels, reproductive status, and PA engagement.
Results: Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were conducted to evaluate differences between time points. For cortisol, W values ranged from 6-12. For Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) scores, W values ranged from 1015. All observed W values exceed the critical value (2), indicating that there were no statistically significant differences in cortisol levels or PSS scores across the three time points.
Conclusion: Although statistically significant differences were not observed, these findings emphasize the complexity of interactions between stress, PA and reproductive health. The results highlight the need for further research to better understand this understudied intersection among undergraduate females in STEM in effort to improve reproductive health, academic performance and overall wellbeing.
eCommons Citation
Nichols, Ellie, "Mental Stress, Physical Activity and Reproductive Health: A Pilot Study on College-Aged Females in STEM" (2026). Honors Theses. 532.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/uhp_theses/532
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